¡Por fin!/Finally!

Today is finally the day!  My parents and Nate are, as I type, on their way across the Atlantic via Delta  headed towards Madrid Barajas airport, terminal #1.  Today has been a rather strange day, being as it was my last day of classes and also the day before my very special visitors arrive.  Lots of emotions.

I woke up feeling not so great about exams because I put about 1 hour worth of studying into my two exams today.  That might be being a little too generous even.  So off I went to school, feeling a little nervy about the tests.  Took the first test, waited to see the grade, little surprised at the A written in red ink at the top, but hey I'll take it.  Next test, same professor, same material, so I'm expecting a similar score.  Proof to show that studying abroad doesn't actually require studying?  Broma (joke) but seriously, best finals ever?  However yesterday I had my grammar final and that took 3 and a half hours, so I guess it's not all easy.  Vamos a ver...

But indeed, today was a great day.  After school I came home for lunch and when I opened the door, the smell of fresh baked seafood paella filled the house.  Wonders.  I also had the opportunity to call my dad's cell phone because I had enough money on my Spanish cell to make a phone call to the US because normally this is just too expensive but I figured, shoot dang, may as well use the money.  It was good to talk to them, and they were in the Grand Rapids airport getting ready to head out.  Sooo ready for them to be here already!

After our little chat, I decided to make some cookies for my host family and my friends.  They turned out pretty good and it was fun talking to my host mom in the kitchen as I was making them.  She's so cute!  She wanted to know every step, every ingredient.  And it was also a good way to practice my conversation skills, and I definitely feel improvement since my 4 months here.  Great success.

Tonight was a little bittersweet because I had to say goodbye to some of the people in my program.  We had dinner at El Pollo de Alcalá, the first restaurant that I ate at waaay back on that blistery January day. Only this time was different.  I felt like I was meeting up with old friends, in a local restaurant, not jet legged, and overall feeling pretty comfortable and confident in my surroundings.  I guess that's what 4 months of living abroad can do to you.  It was sad to say goodbye and I know the hardest goodbyes are yet to come, so I have to gear up for those.  But it's not adios, sólo hasta luego.

Well I should probably sleep since I'm getting up in 4 hours, but I guess the surprise at the end of the train ride is worth the early morning.  I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve, but somehow I feel like the ending of this will be so much better.  So much better indeed.